As the school year comes to a close, I've been reflecting on some of the funniest moments in my classroom. Here are the top 3. Enjoy!
3) Lately multi-tasking has been more challenging (thank you progesterone!)... so I have said some interesting things when I'm trying to think about what I'm teaching, read, grab a student's attention, and anticipate any confusion. Two weeks ago I was reading our novel and attempting to read "I cooked dinner for Grandma." Without realizing the switch, I emphatically read (I am quite the enthusiastic reader to maintain student interest), "I cooked Grandma for dinner!" My students LOVED that fopaux!
2) At the beginning of the year, an easily distracted student in the back of the room blurted something out to the guy next to him. I thought he was talking about his birthday, so I kindly reprimanded him, "Alright __, I am very happy for you, but I need you pay attention." He had this spastic, bewildered expression that made me question what exactly I was saying. I was about to go on teaching, when he shouted, "What??? I just said 'I think I have bio', and you said you're HAPPY for me??" Oops. I laughed and explained that I thought he was talking about his birthday, but I think I may have permanently confused him!
1) I LOVE watching a student when they go from the bored, aimless look to the quizzical, "bright idea" look. The teenage mind is a fascinating thing. Last year, in a bigger class with two teachers, I was able to watch one of the best "bright idea" moments I've ever seen. The student was clearly bored, then paused and pensively considered something for a while. Glancing down at his paper, I watched him turn it over and rub it. Then, he tore of the corner and shoved it in his mouth. Thoughtfully chewing for a moment, he then made an obvious "not too bad!" face and proceeded to shove the whole piece into his mouth. He sat there thoughtfully chewing the pencil-covered sheet for the rest of the period. I was working one-on-one with another student on the other side of the room, but I so wish I could have had an internal video recorder to replay that clip in my mind!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Favorite pregnant moments
I intended to start this blog MUCH earlier in my pregnancy. Now that I'm 35 1/2 weeks pregnant... I'm finally getting this started!
Many friends and family have asked different questions about my experience with this pregnancy. So, I've been reflecting on the most memorable moments. Here they are:
1) Finding out we were pregnant. Those 3 minutes of waiting for the stick felt SO long! We covered the indicator and walked around the house trying to pass the time. When we looked, the second line was really faint so I reread the directions again and when I realized it meant I was pregnant we were screaming and hugging and letting the realization sink in.
2) Telling our family and friends. Truthfully one of the happiest days. We have such supportive friends and family! It was amazing to see the impact of modern technology- I told my family, my brother posted on Facebook 3 minutes later, and one of my best friends from high school texted me while I was STILL on Skype with my family! Word can spread incredibly fast now!
3) Feeling the baby move! The movements make him real to me and are still so fun. I first felt distinguishable bubbles at 16 1/2 weeks. Matt first felt the baby thumping around at 19 weeks. At 35 weeks now, he's a little more crammed for space but I can feel him kicking around and adjusting his legs all the time. The most fun part is testing responses. He really responds to active diaphragm movements; after I sing really loudly or laugh hard or sneeze, he typically responds with some big kicks! He also tends to get really active after I eat ice cream... I'm not sure if that's just because that's usually around 9:00 at night or I'm sitting down or if he really does have an ice cream thing! When he is kicking, sometimes he'll respond to me lightly tapping my fingers right where his little foot is. It's amazing how much I love interacting with him already!
4) Finding out the baby is a boy! We found out at 20 weeks, and the tech determined his gender literally within 20 seconds of starting the ultrasound. The view was like from underneath a seat: thighs, butt, and defining feature just sitting there for the world to see! She started the ultrasound, laughed, and said "Oh that's 100% boy!" We then got to watch him yawning and jumping around (even jumping on my bladder!) for 15 more minutes. So fun! We were excited for a girl or a boy, but once we found out we mentally switched into total boy mode. Matt's already planning a variety of father-son bonding activities!
5) Getting a box of baby clothes in the mail 4 days later from my mom's indulgent shopping spree. This little guy is never going to want for Grandma attention! I honestly think he's one of the luckiest kids I know in terms of two absolutely amazing Grandmas!
6) Various student comments since they discovered I was pregnant. Best quotes so far: "I thought your stomach was getting bigger, but I just thought you were eating more brownies", "Who did it?", and "So does that mean you're going to be throwing up all the time?". Recently, the funniest comment was [while I'm wearing the school T-shirt that is getting more and more snug around my expanding belly] "Miss, that shirt's too tight- that's not good for your baby. Your baby needs to breath." Nice to know they're looking out for me, even if they're slightly confused about the baby's oxygen source :)
7) Baby showers! This baby has such an incredible support group already! I'm just amazed at the generosity, love, and support that has been showered upon us. Beautiful homemade blankets, homemade burp clothes, a creative paper topiary, an amazing baby picture frame, and many substantial and generous gifts covering baby clothes and necessities.
8) Setting up the baby room. Thanks to that amazing generosity of so many family members and friends, this room has come together to be such a happy place. The room and all the baby things have made the birth of the baby much more real for me. It's just overwhelming to feel everyone's love and support in that room!
9) 3-D Images of our baby. After my graduation (UNLV Masters of Education), Matt, my mom, dad, Jane, Thomas, mother-in-law Marie, and father-in-law Kurt all went to a 3-D ultrasound clinic. They sat against a wall while I was comfortably propped up on a fancified hospital bed. The imaging technology is amazing! We could see our little guy's chubby cheeks, cute little nose, little lips, and even a potentially cleft chin! We got to watch him trying to suck his thumb, rubbing his eyes, and even smile. The pictures are absolutely priceless. I have them scattered around our house so I can constantly look at him :)
10) Finalizing the name. So, I've been careful to avoid setting anything permanently in stone, but Matt and I are 99% decided on the name John Sterling Alleman. We thought of that name around 2 years ago, in addition to Benjamin Matthew. Since we've been expecting, we've looked through books and websites and narrowed down lists of names, but it still always came down to those two! We love the name John, and Matt has some really interesting ancestors with the name John Alleman (first to immigrate to the United States, first to convert to the LDS church). Sterling is my dad's father and one of our heroes. We are very excited about this name and all the family heritage and strength that it denotes.
Those moments probably encapsulate my experience effectively! If I haven't been good keeping in touch with you throughout this exciting time, hopefully these highlights convey how fun and exciting the past few months have been!
Many friends and family have asked different questions about my experience with this pregnancy. So, I've been reflecting on the most memorable moments. Here they are:
1) Finding out we were pregnant. Those 3 minutes of waiting for the stick felt SO long! We covered the indicator and walked around the house trying to pass the time. When we looked, the second line was really faint so I reread the directions again and when I realized it meant I was pregnant we were screaming and hugging and letting the realization sink in.
2) Telling our family and friends. Truthfully one of the happiest days. We have such supportive friends and family! It was amazing to see the impact of modern technology- I told my family, my brother posted on Facebook 3 minutes later, and one of my best friends from high school texted me while I was STILL on Skype with my family! Word can spread incredibly fast now!
3) Feeling the baby move! The movements make him real to me and are still so fun. I first felt distinguishable bubbles at 16 1/2 weeks. Matt first felt the baby thumping around at 19 weeks. At 35 weeks now, he's a little more crammed for space but I can feel him kicking around and adjusting his legs all the time. The most fun part is testing responses. He really responds to active diaphragm movements; after I sing really loudly or laugh hard or sneeze, he typically responds with some big kicks! He also tends to get really active after I eat ice cream... I'm not sure if that's just because that's usually around 9:00 at night or I'm sitting down or if he really does have an ice cream thing! When he is kicking, sometimes he'll respond to me lightly tapping my fingers right where his little foot is. It's amazing how much I love interacting with him already!
4) Finding out the baby is a boy! We found out at 20 weeks, and the tech determined his gender literally within 20 seconds of starting the ultrasound. The view was like from underneath a seat: thighs, butt, and defining feature just sitting there for the world to see! She started the ultrasound, laughed, and said "Oh that's 100% boy!" We then got to watch him yawning and jumping around (even jumping on my bladder!) for 15 more minutes. So fun! We were excited for a girl or a boy, but once we found out we mentally switched into total boy mode. Matt's already planning a variety of father-son bonding activities!
5) Getting a box of baby clothes in the mail 4 days later from my mom's indulgent shopping spree. This little guy is never going to want for Grandma attention! I honestly think he's one of the luckiest kids I know in terms of two absolutely amazing Grandmas!
6) Various student comments since they discovered I was pregnant. Best quotes so far: "I thought your stomach was getting bigger, but I just thought you were eating more brownies", "Who did it?", and "So does that mean you're going to be throwing up all the time?". Recently, the funniest comment was [while I'm wearing the school T-shirt that is getting more and more snug around my expanding belly] "Miss, that shirt's too tight- that's not good for your baby. Your baby needs to breath." Nice to know they're looking out for me, even if they're slightly confused about the baby's oxygen source :)
7) Baby showers! This baby has such an incredible support group already! I'm just amazed at the generosity, love, and support that has been showered upon us. Beautiful homemade blankets, homemade burp clothes, a creative paper topiary, an amazing baby picture frame, and many substantial and generous gifts covering baby clothes and necessities.
8) Setting up the baby room. Thanks to that amazing generosity of so many family members and friends, this room has come together to be such a happy place. The room and all the baby things have made the birth of the baby much more real for me. It's just overwhelming to feel everyone's love and support in that room!
9) 3-D Images of our baby. After my graduation (UNLV Masters of Education), Matt, my mom, dad, Jane, Thomas, mother-in-law Marie, and father-in-law Kurt all went to a 3-D ultrasound clinic. They sat against a wall while I was comfortably propped up on a fancified hospital bed. The imaging technology is amazing! We could see our little guy's chubby cheeks, cute little nose, little lips, and even a potentially cleft chin! We got to watch him trying to suck his thumb, rubbing his eyes, and even smile. The pictures are absolutely priceless. I have them scattered around our house so I can constantly look at him :)
10) Finalizing the name. So, I've been careful to avoid setting anything permanently in stone, but Matt and I are 99% decided on the name John Sterling Alleman. We thought of that name around 2 years ago, in addition to Benjamin Matthew. Since we've been expecting, we've looked through books and websites and narrowed down lists of names, but it still always came down to those two! We love the name John, and Matt has some really interesting ancestors with the name John Alleman (first to immigrate to the United States, first to convert to the LDS church). Sterling is my dad's father and one of our heroes. We are very excited about this name and all the family heritage and strength that it denotes.
Those moments probably encapsulate my experience effectively! If I haven't been good keeping in touch with you throughout this exciting time, hopefully these highlights convey how fun and exciting the past few months have been!
Transition
We are about to enter the biggest transition of our lives: parenthood. Our baby is due July 1, and his birth will mark a half-way point in our four year Vegas dental school experience. The first two years will be quite different from our last two years, especially for me!
The past two years, I have been teaching middle school special education through Teach for America. My days have been full of teaching, preparing, fulfilling all Teach for America training and data requirements, completing night classes for a Masters of Education from UNLV, and doing anything I can to help my students. I have loved teaching. My group of students is full of kids who can be amazingly thoughtful, insightful, and enthusiastic. They each struggle with a disability, most frequently dyslexia or an auditory processing disorder, though a few students have autism or emotional disorders. I teach reading, so many of these students will attend general education classes throughout the day and come to my class for a more intensive, small group reading class. Many of them do not have books at home and their guardians work multiple jobs so they have no one to read to them at night. Thus, the average reading level in my classroom is around a mid-second grade level. These students are all in sixth-eighth grade. I have worked as hard as possible to do all that I can to catch up the reading levels of these kids. Many have succeeded in significantly advancing their reading level in addition to mastering grade level reading comprehension skills. I know I can always do more and my heart aches for the students that I haven't been able to get through to- the students who are frequently absent, the students who have been expelled, the students who move two-five times a year. This work has been incredibly rewarding and I'm grateful for this experience. I'm also proud to be a "Master" now :) I graduated May 8th, surrounded my amazing support group (Mom, Dad, Scott, Jane, Mother-in-Law, Father-in-Law, and of course Matt, my husband).
The next two years I hope to enjoy my little guy and figure out how to provide the best experiences and opportunities for him. I am a little nervous but mostly just thrilled and eager to begin this adventure! While I am at home with him, I will also be developing an online tutoring business. Last summer, my mom asked me to help my brother Thomas with his writing. I thought through what I considered to be the most effective, step-by-step instruction for independent writing. The tutoring was very successful and my ebullient mother encouraged me to turn this writing instruction into something bigger. Starting your own business has been more work than I anticipated, but over the past year I've been able to navigate the process and have an online business up and running starting this summer! It was been an interesting and exciting experience, and I am optimistic about the opportunities for growth! Here's the website (which I am very proud of!): www.celebrationstutoring.com
Matt is also undergoing a transition from mostly didactic memorization of science information to mostly clinical work. This means less work to do at home and more exciting operations. His big boards test is this Friday, June 4th, so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers! He is very excited to be done with the first two years of school and the boards so he'll have more free time at night to play with our baby!
The past two years have been challenging and wonderful. We are so excited for what the next two years will hold for us!
The past two years, I have been teaching middle school special education through Teach for America. My days have been full of teaching, preparing, fulfilling all Teach for America training and data requirements, completing night classes for a Masters of Education from UNLV, and doing anything I can to help my students. I have loved teaching. My group of students is full of kids who can be amazingly thoughtful, insightful, and enthusiastic. They each struggle with a disability, most frequently dyslexia or an auditory processing disorder, though a few students have autism or emotional disorders. I teach reading, so many of these students will attend general education classes throughout the day and come to my class for a more intensive, small group reading class. Many of them do not have books at home and their guardians work multiple jobs so they have no one to read to them at night. Thus, the average reading level in my classroom is around a mid-second grade level. These students are all in sixth-eighth grade. I have worked as hard as possible to do all that I can to catch up the reading levels of these kids. Many have succeeded in significantly advancing their reading level in addition to mastering grade level reading comprehension skills. I know I can always do more and my heart aches for the students that I haven't been able to get through to- the students who are frequently absent, the students who have been expelled, the students who move two-five times a year. This work has been incredibly rewarding and I'm grateful for this experience. I'm also proud to be a "Master" now :) I graduated May 8th, surrounded my amazing support group (Mom, Dad, Scott, Jane, Mother-in-Law, Father-in-Law, and of course Matt, my husband).
The next two years I hope to enjoy my little guy and figure out how to provide the best experiences and opportunities for him. I am a little nervous but mostly just thrilled and eager to begin this adventure! While I am at home with him, I will also be developing an online tutoring business. Last summer, my mom asked me to help my brother Thomas with his writing. I thought through what I considered to be the most effective, step-by-step instruction for independent writing. The tutoring was very successful and my ebullient mother encouraged me to turn this writing instruction into something bigger. Starting your own business has been more work than I anticipated, but over the past year I've been able to navigate the process and have an online business up and running starting this summer! It was been an interesting and exciting experience, and I am optimistic about the opportunities for growth! Here's the website (which I am very proud of!): www.celebrationstutoring.com
Matt is also undergoing a transition from mostly didactic memorization of science information to mostly clinical work. This means less work to do at home and more exciting operations. His big boards test is this Friday, June 4th, so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers! He is very excited to be done with the first two years of school and the boards so he'll have more free time at night to play with our baby!
The past two years have been challenging and wonderful. We are so excited for what the next two years will hold for us!
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